Virgin Creek Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, wildlife watching, fishing, surfing, swimming, hiking, beachcombing, bodysurfing, boogie boarding, kitesurfing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, tidepooling, and jet skiing. Virgin Creek Beach is a popular surfing spot - the water near the beach offers large and consistent surfing waves. However, if you are planning to go into the water near Virgin Creek Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is cold and has dangerous currents. In addition, sharks have also been frequently reported in the water near Virgin Creek Beach. We also recommend reviewing the quality of the water near Virgin Creek Beach before engaging in aquatic recreational activities as it is occasionally contaminated by the increased water inflow from Virgin Creek. The water near the beach is home to many animals including seals, sea lions, and migrating grey whales (between December and April). Another popular activity in Virgin Creek Beach is fishing - some of the popular catches from the water near Virgin Creek Beach include surfperches and many kinds of groundfish. If you are planning to fish in the water near Virgin Creek Beach, we recommend complying with the local fishing regulations.
MacKerricher State Park has a variety of habitats that you can explore via hiking and biking trails including grasslands, sand dunes, forests, and wetlands. The state park also has a lake named Lake Cleone, whose surrounding areas are home to many animals including foxes, raccoons, and black-tailed deer. If you like birdwatching, the lake also attracts many bird species including ducks, cormorants, and herons. In addition, this lake and the area surrounding it is also a popular resting spot for migratory waterfowl. If you like horse riding, there is a private concession near MacKerricher State Park which offers horse riding tours within designated state park areas. The state park’s visitor center also has many interesting exhibits including a grey whale skeleton. In addition, docent-led tours, junior ranger programs, and campfire programs are frequently organized by the state park. The state park also has four campgrounds. If you are planning to camp here, you can visit MacKerricher State Park’s web page on the California Department of Parks and Recreation’s website for more information on the state park’s campsites